Environmental Practice Award

Awarded to the school project that can demonstrate a benefit to the environment and the environmental education of its pupils.

2017 Winner
Gilbrook School

Gilbrook, a maintained primary special school, was invited to help produce a report for a Commons Select Committee inquiry into the future of our parks. The report, Nature is Nurture reinforced the idea that there is a huge, positive impact on children’s mental health when using outdoor space and focused on how green spaces benefit our children. Use of the schools outside area is thoroughly embedded throughout the curriculum. This helps support the mental health and well-being of pupils and staff, and helps pupils understand and act on environmental issues.

Commended

Bootroyd Primary Academy
Bromley High School
Redmoor Academy

2016 Winner
King's Ely, Cambridgeshire

King’s Ely has become the first independent school in the East of England to win the Modeshift STARS Award for its sustainable transport policies. The scheme encourages schools to increase levels of sustainable and active transport and in so doing, improve the health and well-being of children and young people. King’s Ely promotes the use of cycling and walking to and from school, as well as safer travel practices, both on and off school grounds. The school has been recognised for working with the highways authority on several projects to improve student safety when travelling, and has implemented more school buses and bus routes to reduce the number of individual vehicles travelling on Cambridgeshire roads.

2015 Winner
Lutley Primary School, Halesowen

A teaching assistant from Halesowen has won a top award for the environmental projects she started at her school. Lutley Primary School teacher Liz Cole scooped the World Wildlife Fund’s Green Ambassadors Teacher Award 2014 after running a forest school, allotment, eco council and recycling. Head teacher Rebecca Cox nominated Miss Cole for the award and she beat off 200 other hopefuls to win the accolade. At the Awards, the judge said: “I have never before met a person who is so devoted to ensuring that the next generations of children are highly aware of their environment and their impact upon it.”